A strong state is definitely required. Weak states expose citizens to external threats. But the combination of internal tolerance/freedom and external violence is complementary in the sense that it feeds the justifications of the citizens - read Pericles or speak to any European citizen about how the humanistic nature of his/her nation must inform its foriegn activities, or note how Americans are suckers for the argument that we are defending freedom abroad.

When one is aware of the "external violence", it becomes possible to realise that there is a system of internal violence limiting the internal freedom to that which doesn't question the system of external violence.